Ellen leaving Idol after one season

Ellen DeGeneres has announced she will not be returning to American Idol.

“A couple months ago, I let FOX and the American Idol producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” she said in a statement. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for.”

The Fox Network has yet to announce a replacement for Simon Cowell, who left at the end of last season.